Yea Alabama! History of Alabama Crimson Tide Football: College Football Blueblood Series, #1

By Steve's Football Bible LLC and Steve Fulton

Read about the great history and traditions of the Alabama Crimson Tide football throughout the years. Season by season recaps with game recaps along with schedules for each season. Rivalry games, Bowl games and much more. If you are a Crimson Tide fan or a College Football fan, this is a must read for all. UPDATED through the 2023 season.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Steve Fulton
• Release date: Mar 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393309475

Steve's Football Bible LLC

The Author, Steve Fulton, has published numerous books on Sports {Football & Baseball} History. He is the owner of Steve’s Football Bible LLC and you can see his work at www.stevesfootballbible.com. He grew up in a rural farming town (Alden) in southern Minnesota and has been a guest on numerous radio stations over the years. He is one of the pre-eminent authorities on Baseball and Football history. His knowledge of Football history is second to none.

Book preview

Introduction

My love of College Football began in 1966.  As a 7-year-old kid I remember watching the Notre Dame-Michigan State Game of the Century.  Next, I remember the 1967 USC-UCLA game and O.J. Simpson weaving through the UCLA defense for the winning touchdown with 6 minutes left in the game. I remember the 1968 Rose Bowl, Indiana vs USC.  Who was this Indiana team that went to the Rose Bowl over my beloved Minnesota Golden Gopher’s?  I attended my first college football game in 1971.  Michigan vs Minnesota at Memorial Stadium on the Campus of the University of Minnesota.  My Aunt Roberta took me.  I was hooked after that.  The Golden Gophers were defeated that day 35-7 by the Wolverines.  George Honza of the Golden Gophers scored the only touchdown that day on a pass from Craig Curry.  Ironically, I met Mr. Honza in January of 2017 while officiating a basketball game.  Growing up in a rural farming town (Alden) in southern Minnesota, as a youth I spent a lot of my Saturdays in the fall watching ABC Sports College game of the week.

This book is for all the College Football fans, casual or diehard, historians or those who just plain love the College game.  I hope everyone enjoys it.

Steve Fulton

College Football Patriot Series Books available at www.stevesfootballbible.com

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Contents

Introduction

Brief History of Crimson Tide Football

College Football Hall of Famers

Pro Football Hall of Famers

SEC Championship Game

First Team All-Americans

Heisman Trophy Winners

Bowl Games

Beginnings of football at Alabama

The Crimson Tide

The Elephant

The Million Dollar Band

Former Stadiums and Field

Rivalries

1892 Alabama Cadets

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1893 Alabama Crimson White

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1894 Alabama Crimson White

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1895 Alabama Crimson White

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1896 Alabama Crimson White

1897 Alabama Crimson White

1898 Alabama Crimson White

1899 Alabama Crimson White

1900 Alabama Crimson White

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1901 Alabama Crimson White

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1902 Alabama Crimson White

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1903 Alabama Crimson White

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1904 Alabama Crimson White

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1905 Alabama Crimson White

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1906 Alabama Crimson White

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1907 Alabama Crimson Tide

1907 Iron Bowl

1908 Alabama Crimson Tide

1909 Alabama Crimson Tide

1910 Alabama Crimson Tide

1911 Alabama Crimson Tide

1912 Alabama Crimson Tide

1913 Alabama Crimson Tide

1914 Alabama Crimson Tide

1915 Alabama Crimson Tide

1916 Alabama Crimson Tide

1917 Alabama Crimson Tide

1918 Alabama Crimson Tide

1919 Alabama Crimson Tide

1920 Alabama Crimson Tide

1921 Alabama Crimson Tide

1922 Alabama Crimson Tide

1923 Alabama Crimson Tide

1924 Alabama Crimson Tide

1925 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

1926 ROSE BOWL

1926 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

1927 ROSE BOWL

1927 Alabama Crimson Tide

1928 Alabama Crimson Tide

1929 Alabama Crimson Tide

1930 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

1931 ROSE BOWL

1931 Alabama Crimson Tide

1932 Alabama Crimson Tide

1933 Alabama Crimson Tide

1934 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

1935 ROSE BOWL

1935 Alabama Crimson Tide

1936 Alabama Crimson Tide

1937 Alabama Crimson Tide

1938 ROSE BOWL

1938 Alabama Crimson Tide

1939 Alabama Crimson Tide

1940 Alabama Crimson Tide

1941 Alabama Crimson Tide

1942 COTTON BOWL

1942 Alabama Crimson Tide

1943 ORANGE BOWL

1943 Alabama Crimson Tide {No team due to WWII}

1944 Alabama Crimson Tide

1945 SUGAR BOWL

1945 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

1946 ROSE BOWL

1946 Alabama Crimson Tide

1947 Alabama Crimson Tide

1948 COTTON BOWL

1948 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1949 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1950 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1951 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1952 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1953 ORANGE BOWL

1953 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1954 COTTON BOWL

1954 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1955 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1956 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1957 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1958 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1959 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1959 LIBERTY BOWL

1960 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1960 BLUEBONNETT BOWL

1961 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1962 SUGAR BOWL

1962 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1963 ORANGE BOWL

1963 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1964 SUGAR BOWL

1964 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1965 ORANGE BOWL

1965 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

Georgia {Dawg and Lateral}

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1966 ORANGE BOWL

1966 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1967 SUGAR BOWL

1967 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl} {Run in the Mud}

1968 COTTON BOWL

1968 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1968 GATOR BOWL

1969 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1969 LIBERTY BOWL

1970 Alabama Crimson Tide

USC {The Cunningham Game}

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1970 BLUEBONNETT BOWL

1971 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1972 ORANGE BOWL

1972 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl} {Punt Bama Punt}

1973 COTTON BOWL

1973 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1973 SUGAR BOWL

1974 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl} {The Gossom Incident}

1975 ORANGE BOWL

1975 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1975 SUGAR BOWL

1976 Alabama Crimson Tide

1976 LIBERTY BOWL

1977 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1978 SUGAR BOWL

1978 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1979 SUGAR BOWL

1979 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1980 SUGAR BOWL

1980 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1981 COTTON BOWL

1981 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1982 COTTON BOWL

1982 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl} {Bo over the Top}

1982 LIBERTY BOWL

1983 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1983 SUN BOWL

1984 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1985 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl} {The Kick}

1985 Aloha Bowl

1986 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1986 Sun Bowl

1987 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1987 Hall-of-Fame Bowl

1988 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1988 Sun Bowl

1989 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1990 Sugar Bowl

1990 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1991 Fiesta Bowl

1991 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1991 Blockbuster Bowl

1992 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1992 SEC Championship {The Langham Pick}

1993 SUGAR BOWL

1993 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1993 SEC Championship

1993 GATOR BOWL

1994 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1994 SEC Championship

1995 CITRUS BOWL

1995 Alabama Crimson Tide

1996 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1996 SEC Championship

1997 OUTBACK BOWL

1997 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1998 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

1998 MUSIC CITY BOWL

1999 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

1999 SEC Championship

2000 ORANGE BOWL

2000 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

2001 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

2001 INDEPENDENCE BOWL

2002 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

2003 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

2004 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

2004 Music City Bowl

2005 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

2006 Cotton Bowl Classic

2006 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

2006 Independence Bowl

2007 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

2007 Independence Bowl

2008 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

2008 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2009 Sugar Bowl

2009 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

2009 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2010 BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2010 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl} {The Camback}

2011 Capital One Bowl

2011 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

2012 BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2012 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

2012 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2013 BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2013 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl} {Kick Six}

2014 Sugar Bowl

2014 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

2014 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2015 Sugar Bowl {National Semifinal}

2015 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

2015 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2015 Cotton Bowl Classic {National Semifinal}

2016 College Football Playoff National Championship

2016 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

2016 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2016 Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl {National Semifinal}

2017 College Football Playoff National Championship

2017 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

2018 Sugar Bowl {National Semifinal}

2018 College Football Playoff National Championship

2018 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

2018 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2018 Orange Bowl {National Semifinal}

2019 College Football Playoff National Championship

2019 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

2020 Citrus Bowl

2020 Alabama Crimson Tide {National Champions}

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

2020 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2021 Rose Bowl {CFP National Semifinal}

2021 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

2021 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

2021 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2021 Cotton Bowl Classic {National Semifinal}

2022 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

2022 Alabama Crimson Tide

AUBURN {Iron Bowl}

2022 Sugar Bowl

2023 Alabama Crimson Tide

Auburn {Iron Bowl}

2023 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

2024 Rose Bowl {CFP National Semifinal}

––––––––

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Brief History of Crimson Tide Football

Since beginning play in 1892, the program claims 17 national championships, including 12 wire-service (AP or Coaches) national titles in the poll-era, and five other titles before the poll-era. From 1958 to 1982, the team was led by Hall of Fame coach Paul Bear Bryant, who won six national championships with the program. Despite numerous national and conference championships, it was not until 2009 that an Alabama player received a Heisman Trophy, when running back Mark Ingram became the university's first winner. In 2015, Derrick Henry became the university's second Heisman winner. In 2020, DeVonta Smith became the university’s third Heisman Trophy winner. In 2021, Bryce Young became the 4th player to win the Heisman Trophy. The Crimson Tide have had 15 other players finish in the top 5 in the Heisman Trophy voting, including runner-up finishes by A.J. McCarron in 2013 and Tua Tagovailoa in 2018.

Alabama has won 33 conference championships (4 Southern Conference and 29 SEC championships) and has made an NCAA-record 77 postseason bowl appearances. Other NCAA records include 24 winning streaks of ten games or more and 21 seasons with a 10–0 start. The program has 37 seasons with ten wins or more (plus one vacated) and has 46 bowl victories, both NCAA records. Alabama has completed ten undefeated seasons, nine of which were perfect seasons.

Twelve times, the Crimson Tide have played in a #1 vs #2 matchup. The Tide is 6-6 in these games. Since 1904, Alabama has had only nine seasons with a losing record. (1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1984, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006).

Early history (1892–1957)

University of Alabama law student William G. Little learned how to play American football while attending prep school in Andover, Massachusetts and began teaching the sport to fellow Alabama students in early 1892. Later in the year, the school formed an official team of 19 players, with Little as captain and E. B. Beaumont as head coach. Among those also on the team were William B. Bankhead, future U.S. Speaker of the House, and Bibb Graves, future governor of Alabama. The team was referred to as the Cadets, the Crimson White, or simply as the varsity.

On November 11, 1892, the team played its first game at a baseball park in Birmingham, Alabama, winning 56–0 against a team composed of players from local Birmingham-area high schools. Alabama lost to both Auburn and Sewanee in 1893. After a winless campaign, Eli Abbott, who played for the team in 1892, returned as a player-coach and led the 1894 squad. Alabama opened the season with a loss against Ole Miss in what was its first game ever played outside the state of Alabama. The Crimson White then rebounded and won their final three games. After a victory over Tulane at New Orleans, Alabama returned to Birmingham where they defeated Sewanee in their only home game of the season. They then closed the year with their first all-time win over Auburn at Montgomery. In spring 1895, the University Board of Trustees passed a rule that prohibited athletic teams from competing off-campus for athletic events. As such, all games scheduled for the 1896 season were played on campus at The Quad. In their first game, Alabama shutout the Birmingham Athletic Club before they lost their only game of the season against Sewanee. The Crimson White then closed the season with their second shutout victory of the year against Mississippi A&M. The team played only one game during the 1897 season and did not field a team for the 1898 season because of a ban restricting student athletes from traveling away from campus. The team resumed play in 1899 after the ban was lifted due to fan and student outcry.

1905 saw two All-Southerns for Alabama in Auxford Burks and T. S. Sims. The overworked Burks, who appeared to bear the entire brunt of Alabama's offense, collapsed on the field during the second half of a 12–5 loss to Georgia Tech. Burks scored in the 30–0 victory over Auburn in what was then the largest crowd ever to see a game in Birmingham (4,000). He was said to be the school's first running back hero.

Alabama was coached by Pollard from 1906 to 1909. The 1906 team won all its games but one; the loss was the program's most lopsided ever, a 78–0 victory by Vanderbilt. Burks scored all of the points in the 1906 Iron Bowl. Auburn contended Alabama player Sims was an illegal player. The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) denied the claim. Following the 1907 season, the team adopted the Crimson Tide nickname. The victory over LSU in 1907 at Monroe Park marked the first Alabama home game played in Mobile. Jack Reidy returned a kickoff for 75 yards and the touchdown with 20 seconds left to give Alabama the win. In 1909, Alabama had six consecutive shutouts to go 5–0–1 before they surrendered their first touchdown against Tulane in their 5–5 tie. Alabama completed their season with a 12–5 loss to defending SIAA champion LSU at Birmingham to finish 5–1–2. Alabama was coached by Graves from 1911 to 1914. 1912 saw quarterback Farley Moody make All-Southern teams. In the Georgia game that season, the Bulldogs ran a trick play in which they threw the ball to a receiver who was dressed as a waterboy, on the field, carrying a bucket. The play did not prove decisive, as Georgia fumbled the ball away soon after, but the Bulldogs won the game after they recovered a botched Alabama field goal and scored in the final minutes.

Alabama was coached by Kelley from 1915 to 1917. Bully Van de Graaff who punted, kicked, and played tackle, was Alabama's first All-American in 1915. Bully's brothers Adrian and Hargrove were also prominent Alabama football players in their day. Their younger brother was Robert J. Van de Graaff, inventor of the Van de Graaff generator which produces high voltages. In 1915, Thomas Kelley coached only the first half of season (4–0) before he came down with typhoid fever. Athletic director B. L. Noojin and former Alabama quarterback Farley Moody took over the head coaching duties for the remaining four games of the season. The 2–2 mark achieved in Kelly's absence is still credited to his record at Alabama of 17–7–1. Tram Sessions made the composite All-Southern of 1917. The school did not field a team in 1918 because of World War I but resumed play once again in 1919 under Coach Xen C. Scott. Arguably the best season under Scott was his first, in which the team lost its only game to Vanderbilt and set a school record for victories in a season with 8–1 record. The 1919 team was led by All-Southerns Ike Rogers, Mullie Lenoir, and Riggs Stephenson. The next season the Tide went 10–1 suffering its only loss 14–21 at the hands of Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) champion Georgia. Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Joe Sewell also played for Scott.

Alabama joined the newly formed Southern Conference in 1922. Shortly after the end of the 1922 season in which he led Alabama to a 9–7 upset victory over Penn, head coach Scott resigned due to a case of cancer of the mouth and tongue which was soon to kill him. An account of the drive to beat Penn: Alabama came back strong in the second quarter on the back of leader Charles Bartlett. Bartlett drove the team down the field on most notably a 22 yard run from the 27 that put the ball on the Penn 4 yard line. Pooley Hubert went in the rest of the way but fumbled the ball in the end zone. Shorty Propst recovered the ball and gave Alabama the 9-7 lead that they would never give up. The next week Alabama beat LSU 47–3 in what was then the largest crowd ever to witness a game at Denny Field. Bartlett was given honorable mention on the All-America team of Walter Camp.

Shortly after head coach Xen Scott's death, Brown University alum and Vanderbilt assistant Wallace Wade was hired as the new head coach. While Wade assisted Dan McGugin at Vanderbilt the Commodores went 15-0-2 over two seasons. The team saw success quickly, losing just one southern game in his first year when Florida upset the Tide to close the season. The 1924 team won the Southern Conference, upset by Centre in its only loss. In 1925, Wade would lead the team to an undefeated season capped with a Rose Bowl win over Washington for the team's first national championship. The win later became known as the game that changed the South. Intent on building a dynasty, athletics director George Denny took advantage of the team's newfound popularity and began advertising the University of Alabama in metropolitan New York City newspapers. Students, football players and fans alike from the Northeast began enrolling at Alabama at such a rate that by 1930, over one-third of the student body was from out-of-state. Wade led the Crimson Tide to two more national titles in 1926 and 1930.

Wade was under fire after lackluster seasons in 1928 and 1929, which included narrow losses to Robert Neyland's Tennessee Volunteers. Wade submitted his resignation on April 30, with the caveat that he coaches next season. Tailback John Suther described the feeling before the Tennessee game that year, which Alabama won 18–6. Coach Wade was boiling mad. He was like a blood-thirsty drill sergeant anyway, and those critics made him fierier ... He challenged us to help him shut up the loudmouths that were making his life miserable. Wade took the head coaching position at Duke in 1931. Wade finished his career at Alabama with an overall record of 61-13-3. Wade coached Hall of Fame player Pooley Hubert. Other notable players included Johnny Mack Brown, Hoyt Winslett, Fred Pickhard, Fred Sington, and Herschel Caldwell.

In 1931, Frank Thomas left his post as an assistant coach at Georgia and accepted the head coaching job at Alabama, where he established himself as one of the top coaches in the nation. His bowl record at Alabama was 4–2, with wins at the Rose Bowl (1935, 1946), Cotton Bowl Classic (1942), and Orange Bowl (1943). He coached future Hall of Fame coach Paul Bear Bryant during his time as Alabama's head coach. Other notable players included Don Hutson, Vaughn Mancha, Harry Gilmer, Johnny Cain, and Riley Smith. Alabama would join the Southeastern Conference in 1933, winning the conference's first championship. Thomas would lead Alabama to two more national championships in 1934 and 1941 before health issues related to his smoking habits forced him to retire after a 14-year tenure as head coach of the program. Alabama did not field a team in 1943 because of World War II. Thomas led Alabama to a 115–24–7 overall record.

In January 1947, Harold Drew was hired as the head football coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. In his first year, Red Drew led the 1947 Alabama team to an 8–3 record, a berth in the 1948 Sugar Bowl, and a number eight ranking in the final AP poll. In November 1948, he led Alabama to a victory over Georgia Tech that The Tuscaloosa News called the upset of the season. In November, he led the Crimson Tide to a 55–0 victory over Auburn, a score which remains the most lopsided in the history of the Alabama–Auburn football rivalry. In August 1951, Drew led the East team to a 15–6 victory in the Third Annual All-American High School game in Memphis. He also led the 1952 team to a 10-1-2 record and a 61–6 victory over Syracuse in the 1953 Orange Bowl. Alabama's 55-point margin of victory remains the largest in the history of the Orange Bowl; it was also the highest point total in Orange Bowl history until West Virginia scored 70 points in the 2012 Orange Bowl. When the Orange Bowl bid was announced in November 1952, former Alabama athletes organized to urge the university to sign Drew to a long-term contract, and The Tuscaloosa News reported:

The invitation also is a fine tribute to Coach Harold (Red) Drew and his staff. We doubt if there is a coaching staff in the country that has done a better job than the one done by the Crimson Tide staff in getting Alabama ready for the Georgia Tech and Maryland games.

Drew was selected as the SEC Coach of the Year in 1952, and he was given a two-year contract extension in December of that year. The following year, he led the 1953 team to a Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship and a berth in the 1954 Cotton Bowl Classic. However, the 1954 team finished in sixth place in the SEC with a 4–5–2 record. With the poor showing of the 1954 team, rumors began to spread that Drew would not return as the head coach. On December 2, 1954, Drew was fired as the head coach and replaced with J. B. Ears Whitworth. Drew was retained as Alabama's head track coach and associate professor of physical education. Drew stayed on as Alabama's track coach for 23 seasons and through at least 1964.

At the end of his tenure as Alabama's head football coach, Drew's salary was reported to have been about $12,000 per year. In eight years as Alabama's head football coach, Drew compiled a 51-28-7 record. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1970. Alabama had grown into a major football power and enjoyed consistent success over the past three decades. However, Whitworth would lead the Crimson Tide to its worst three-year stretch in school history. He posted a 4–24–2 record that included a winless season in 1955–to date, Alabama's last winless season on the field in modern times. This was part of a 14-game losing streak from 1955 to 1956. In his first year at Alabama, Whitworth was allowed to hire only two of his own coaches and forced to retain the rest of former coach Harold Drew's assistants. This included athletic director Hank Crisp, Whitworth's boss, who oversaw the defense. Whitworth brought assistant coach Moose Johnson with him from Oklahoma A&M. Following successive 2–7–1 seasons in 1956 and 1957, Whitworth was fired and replaced by Alabama alumnus Bear Bryant.

College Football Hall of Famers

Pro Football Hall of Famers

SEC Championship Game

The Crimson Tide have made 15 appearances in the SEC Championship Game, having played Florida the most.

First Team All-Americans

Since the establishment of the team in 1892, Alabama has had 140 players honored a total of 162 times as First Team All-America for their performance on the field of play. Included in these selections are 74 consensus selections, 34 of which were unanimous selections, including 19 players honored twice and two players (Cornelius Bennett and Woodrow Lowe) who were honored three times as a First Team All-American. In 2009, Alabama set both a school and national record for AP All-Americans with six first team selections.

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Heisman Trophy Winners

Making his Mark: Ingram brings the Heisman home - al.com Mark Ingram {2009}

He played college football for the University of Alabama and was drafted by the Saints in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, playing with them for eight seasons before stints with the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans. In 2021, he was traded back to New Orleans. Ingram was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the son of former wide receiver for the New York Giants, Mark Ingram Sr. He attended Grand Blanc Community High School in Grand Blanc, Michigan during his freshman, sophomore and junior years, and then Flint Southwestern Academy in Flint, Michigan for his senior year. He was a four-year starter on his high schools' football teams, running for 2,546 yards and 38 touchdowns in his final two seasons. He was Saginaw Valley MVP, Area Player of the Year, and an All-State selection as a senior. Ingram also played defensively as a cornerback, totaling 84 tackles and eight interceptions his senior year. In addition to football, Ingram also ran track and field at Flint, where he was nine-time All-State selection. He competed as a sprinter (PR of 10.69 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 21.90 seconds in the 200-meter dash) and long jumper. Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Ingram was listed as the No. 17 high school athlete in the nation in 2008. Ingram received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Alabama, where he played for coach Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide football team from 2008 to 2010.

Alabama to hold 1 p.m. football conference; Mark Ingram's future a likely topic of discussion - mlive.com During his sophomore college season in 2009, Ingram won the first Heisman Trophy ever awarded to an Alabama Crimson Tide player, set the Crimson Tide's single-season rushing record with 1,658 yards, was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and helped lead the Tide to an undefeated 14–0 season and the 2010 BCS National Championship. Since entering the NFL in 2011, Ingram has earned three Pro Bowl selections (2014, 2017 and 2019). Ingram played behind Glen Coffee his freshman year, and he was selected to the 2008 SEC All-Freshman Team. Ingram finished his Alabama career with 3,261 yards rushing and 42 rushing touchdowns. He caught 60 passes for 670 yards and 4 touchdown receptions. The New Orleans Saints selected Ingram in the first round with the 28th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft—the same pick number the Giants used to draft his father, Mark Ingram Sr., twenty-four years earlier, at the same age. Ingram was the first running back drafted in 2011.

Derrick Henry Celebrity Profile – Hollywood Life Derrick Henry {2015}

Derrick Lamar Henry Jr. was born in Yulee, Florida, a suburb of Jacksonville, to Stacy Veal and Derrick Henry Sr., aged 15 and 16 respectively. Henry's father, known as Big D, was absent for much of his childhood, having been arrested 20 times for various crimes including drug and prostitution-related offenses, and was consequently in and out of prison and had trouble maintaining employment. His mother became a hemodialysis technician. Henry was raised primarily by his grandmother, Gladys, who nicknamed him Shocka, as his birth shocked the whole family, given his parents' young ages. He developed a close relationship to his grandmother, whom he cites as very influential in his upbringing. Henry attended Yulee High School, where he was a three-sport star in football, basketball, and track. He played as a running back for the Yulee Hornets football team. He ran for 2,465 yards and 26 touchdowns as a freshman in 2009. He was named a first-team All-Coast selection at running back in 2010 after rushing for 2,788 yards and 38 touchdowns while averaging 8.9 yards per attempt. He rushed for 2,610 yards and 34 scores as a junior in 2011 to earn first-team All-Coast honors from the Florida Times-Union. He set the Florida high school record with a 510-yard performance against Jacksonville Jackson (a record he held until 2021) and averaged 9.2 yards per carry and 327.8 yards per game as a senior, finishing the season with a state-record 4,261 yards and 55 touchdowns. He finished his high school football career with 12,124 career rushing yards, which broke Ken Hall's career record. He also rushed for 153 career touchdowns. His career touchdown totals rank fifth all-time. In four years at Yulee he averaged more than 250 yards a game and never rushed for fewer than 100 yards in a game. He played for the East squad in the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, where he rushed for 53 yards with a touchdown and a two-point conversion.

Alabama RB Derrick Henry Wins 2015 Heisman Trophy During his junior season, he broke Herschel Walker's single-season college rushing yards record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), won the 2015 Heisman Trophy, the Doak Walker Award, the Maxwell Award, and the Walter Camp Award, and was a key part of the 2015 Alabama Crimson Tide football team that won the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship. Henry was drafted in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft by the Titans. He led the NFL in rushing yards for the 2019 season, as well as rushing touchdowns (tied with Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones). In 2020, Henry would again lead the league in rushing yards and touchdowns and became the eighth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season, and the second Tennessee Titan to do so. Henry won the 2020 Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. At 6'3 and 247 lb, Henry is much larger than most running backs and has a frame comparable to that of a linebacker. Henry is a power back, known for using his large size to overpower defenders and break tackles. In 2020, he accumulated 1,073 yards after contact, in excess of 300 yards more than any running back in the league, and also led the league in broken tackles with 34. He couples that strength and size with surprising speed relative to his size. Henry is also well-known for his stiff-arm which he has been able to use to toss away defenders. As a power back, Henry's playing style contrasts with those of smaller, so-called scat backs, who have greater elusiveness due to their faster ability to change directions. Henry has never caught more than 20 passes a season, but he makes up for his lack of productiveness as a pass-catcher using his dominance as a pure runner.

Heisman Winner 2020: Alabama's DeVonta Smith Awarded Trophy | PEOPLE.com DeVonta Smith {2020}

Smith was born on November 14, 1998, in Amite City, Louisiana and later attended Amite High Magnet School. He committed to the University of Alabama to play college football. As a senior at Alabama in 2020, he recorded over 1,800 yards with 23 touchdowns, for which he won the Heisman Trophy alongside several other awards and honors. Smith was the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Desmond Howard in 1991 and only the fourth overall. He also won two College Football National Championships while at Alabama, prior to being selected by the Eagles 10th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. In 2019, Smith led the Crimson Tide in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, with 1,256 yards and 14 touchdowns on 68 receptions. On September 28, Smith set career highs with 274 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 59–31 victory against Ole Miss. On November 21, 2020, Smith broke the all-time SEC career record for most receiving touchdowns, with two against Kentucky.

refer to caption Smith became the first wide receiver to win the AP Player of the Year award since its inception in 1998. Smith was selected over finalists Kyle Trask, Trevor Lawrence and teammate Mac Jones to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to win the award since Desmond Howard in 1991 and only the fourth overall. Several days later in the CFP National Championship Game against Ohio State, Smith set records for title game catches (12) and touchdown receptions (three), and also totaled 215 yards, despite leaving early in the third quarter with a hand injury. Alabama won, 52–24, their sixth title in 12 years, while Smith was named Offensive MVP of the championship game. While playing for Alabama, Smith set more than seven school receiving records. Smith accepted an invitation for the 2021 Senior Bowl but did not play.

Heisman Trophy: Alabama's Bryce Young wins award Bryce Young {2021}

Bryce Young was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 25, 2001. He later moved to Pasadena, California, where he lived for most of his adolescence. Young is the son of Craig and Julie Young. Young attended Cathedral High School in Los Angeles and transferred to Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, for his last two years of high school football. As a senior, he was the Los Angeles Times Player of the Year and California's Gatorade Football Player of the Year after throwing for 4,528 yards and 58 touchdowns. He was also the USA Today High School Offensive Player of the Year. During his high school career, he passed for 13,520 yards and 152 touchdowns and was a five star recruit ranked the nations #1 quarterback prospect and second overall recruit. After originally committing to the University of Southern California (USC) to play football, Young decommitted and decided instead to play at the University of Alabama for Nick Saban.

WholeHogSports - Hogs battle, but Young gun too much to overcome On September 4, 2021, Young made his debut as the Crimson Tide's starting quarterback. In a 44–13 win over No. 14 Miami (Florida), he passed for 344 yards and four touchdowns. On November 20, 2021, against Arkansas, Young threw for 559 yards to break the Alabama school record for passing yards in a game. The previous record was held by Scott Hunter. Young won the Heisman Trophy following the end of the 2021 season, becoming the first Alabama quarterback to win the award. Young, the seventh-youngest Heisman winner at 20 years, 139 days, follows Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith’s 2020 Heisman victory and marks the fourth Heisman for the Crimson Tide since 2009, including 2009 winner Mark Ingram and 2015 winner Derrick Henry. He threw for over 300 yards in nine games on the season and threw at least two TD passes in all 13 games, including nine games with three or more and five with four or more. He led the Crimson Tide to a CFP semifinal win over Cincinnati, throwing for 369 yards and three scores, before Alabama fell in the national title game to Georgia.

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Bowl Games

Alabama has played in 77 {postseason} Bowl Games and have a 46-28-3 record

Beginnings of football at Alabama

According to a November 25, 1926 article in The Crimson White, football was first introduced at the University of Alabama in 1892 by W.G. Little of Livingston, Alabama, who had been a student at Andover, Massachusetts and went to the University for the game.

Alabama's first football game was played in Birmingham on Friday afternoon, November 11, 1892, at the old Lakeview Park. Alabama defeated a team composed mostly of high schoolers 56-0. That Saturday, November 12, Alabama played the Birmingham Athletic Club, losing 5-4 when Ross, of B.A.C., kicked a 65-yard field goal. This field goal was a collegiate record at the time.

In 1896 the university's board of trustees passed a rule forbidding athletic teams from traveling off-campus. The following season only one game was played and in 1898 football was abandoned at Alabama. Student opposition to the ruling forced trustees to lift the travel ban and football was resumed in 1899. The 1918 season was cancelled on account of World War I but the game was resumed the following year.

Alabama first gained national recognition for football in 1922 when it defeated the University of Pennsylvania 9-7 in Philadelphia. The following season Wallace Wade became head coach and in 1925 led the Crimson Tide to its first undefeated and untied season and its first trip to Pasadena, California, with a Rose Bowl invitation. On January 1, 1926, in the Rose Bowl, Alabama came from behind to upset the University of Washington 20-19.

The Crimson Tide

Early newspaper accounts of the university's football squad simply referred to them as the varsity or the Crimson White. The first nickname popular with the media was the Thin Red Line, which was used until 1906. Hugh Roberts, former sports editor of the Birmingham Age-Herald, is credited with coining the phrase Crimson Tide in an article describing the 1907 Iron Bowl played in Birmingham with Auburn a heavy favorite to win. The game was played in a sea of red mud which stained the Alabama white jerseys crimson. The headline for the article was Crimson Tied, referring to the 6–6 tie Alabama had with Auburn, who had been heavily favored before the game.

The Elephant

There are two stories, perhaps both true, about how Alabama's football squad became associated with the elephant, both dating to the coaching tenure of Wallace Wade (1923–1930).

Picture of Big Al at Bryant Denny Stadium 2013-09-13 18-34.jpg The earliest account attributes the Rosenberger's Birmingham Trunk Company for the elephant association. Owner J. D. Rosenberger, whose son was a student at the university, outfitted the undefeated 1926 team with good luck luggage tags for the trip to the 1927 Rose Bowl. The company's trademark, displayed on the tags, was a red elephant standing on a trunk. When the football team arrived in Pasadena, the reporters greeting them, including syndicated columnist Grantland Rice, associated their large size with the elephants on their luggage. When the 1930 team returned to the Rose Bowl, the company furnished leather suitcases, paid for by the Alumni Association, to each team member.

Another story dates to 1930. Following the October 4 game against Ole Miss, Atlanta Journal sportswriter and Hall of Fame former Georgia Tech back Everett Strupper wrote:

At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. It was the first time that I had seen it and the size of the entire eleven nearly knocked me cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size.

Yet, despite the unofficial status as the Crimson Tide's mascot, the elephant was very much part of the school's football traditions by the 1940s. It was in that decade that a live elephant mascot named Alamite was a regular sight on game days in Tuscaloosa. For several years it was traditional for the pachyderm to lead the homecoming parade and Alamite would also bear that year's queen onto the field prior to the game.

Sports writers continued to refer to Alabama as the Red Elephants afterward, referring to their crimson jerseys. The 1930 team shut out eight of ten opponents, allowing a total of only 13 points all season. The Red Elephants rolled up 217 points that season, including a 24-0 victory over Washington State in the Rose Bowl.

Despite these early associations of the elephant to the University of Alabama, the university did not officially accept the elephant as university mascot until 1979.

Alabama's elephant mascot is known as Big Al.

The Million Dollar Band

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Million-Dollar-Band_football.JPG/200px-Million-Dollar-Band_football.JPG The Million Dollar Band, the University of Alabama's marching band, was founded in 1912 with 14 members under the direction of Dr. Gustav Wittig. In 1917, the band became a military band and was led by students until 1927.

The Million Dollar Band is the largest performing organization on campus, with around 400+ members. The September 1992 issue of Southern Living selected the Million Dollar Band as one of the top ten most outstanding bands in the South. In 2003 it became the twenty-second band to be honored with the Sudler Trophy, given by the Sousa Foundation to recognize collegiate marching bands of particular excellence that have made outstanding contributions to the American way of life. Additionally, the Million Dollar Band has been nationally televised more than any other college marching band in the country.

There are two stories to the naming of the Million Dollar Band. The main one is from a time when Alabama's football wasn't doing so well. They were playing Georgia Tech and the coach of Georgia Tech stated, Your football team isn't worth a nickel, but you have a million dollar band. And so the name stuck.

In the second story, W. C. Champ Pickens bestowed the name Million Dollar Band after the 1922 football game against Georgia Tech. Though accounts vary, it is reported that in order for the band to attend the game they had to solicit funds from local businesses. They were able to collect enough funds to ride in a tourist sleeper to the game. After the game, which Alabama lost 33-7, an Atlanta sportswriter commented to Pickens, You don't have much of a team; what do you have at Alabama? Pickens replied, A Million Dollar Band.

Former Stadiums and Field

University of Alabama Quad {1893-1914}

The Quad was the first on-campus site for Alabama Crimson Tide football home games. The Tide played there from 1893 to 1914 before moving to Denny Field.

The Quad came to be surrounded by academic buildings during a flurry of building activity in the early 20th century. From 1910 onward, all buildings facing the Quad would be built in the Classical Revival and Beaux-Arts styles. The first of this group was the Beaux-Arts-style Smith Hall, built in 1910 as the new home of the Alabama Museum of Natural History. Next was the Beaux-Arts-style Morgan Hall, built in 1911 as a complement to Smith Hall. It initially housed the School of Law. Little Hall, in Classical-Revival-style, was built in 1915 to house a gymnasium. The adjoining Moore Hall was built in 1935 as an extension of Little and did not receive a name until 1975.

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Denny Field {1915-1928}

Denny Field was in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and served as the home field for the University of Alabama football team from 1915 through the 1928 seasons, excluding 1918 when a team was not fielded due to World War I. The field was located at the intersection of 10th Street and 7th Avenue at the southern edge of the University of Alabama campus. At present, its former location is the site of portions of the new sorority row along Judy Bonner Drive and a parking lot.

The venue opened in 1915 and was originally named University Field. It was rededicated as Denny Field on October 9, 1920, prior to the third game of the 1920 season against Birmingham–Southern. Named in honor of former Alabama president George H. Denny, at that time official Denny Field signage was unveiled and it was noted that the name was selected due to Dr. Denny's continued support of the growth of the athletic program at Alabama.

During its tenure as the team's home field, Alabama amassed an overall record of 43 wins to only 2 losses. It was replaced by Denny Stadium, now known as Bryant–Denny Stadium, in 1929.

Rickwood Field {1912-1927}

1922 Alabama Crimson Tide football team - Wikipedia

Rickwood Field, located in Birmingham, Alabama, is the oldest professional baseball park in the United States. It was built for the Birmingham Barons in 1910 by industrialist and team-owner Rick Woodward and has served as the home park for the Birmingham Barons and the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. Rickwood Field is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Rickwood Field also hosted college football games. From 1912 to 1927 the Alabama Crimson Tide played its Birmingham home dates in Rickwood.

Cramton Bowl {1922-1954}

Cramton Bowl is a 21,000-seat stadium located in Montgomery, Alabama.  It opened in 1922.  Cramton Bowl also provided a location for Alabama Crimson Tide football home games in the capital city. The Crimson Tide played home games at Cramton Bowl in the 1922 through 1932 seasons, in 1934, from 1944 through 1946 and again from 1951 through 1954. Alabama's record at Cramton Bowl was 17 wins and 3 losses.  

Cramton Bowl probably achieved its greatest fame as the home of the Blue-Gray Football Classic, an annual college football all-star game which was held there each December from 1938 until 2001.

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Ernest F. Ladd Stadium {1948-1968}

It opened in 1948 and has a seating capacity of 33,471 and is the home field for the Senior Bowl, the Dollar General Bowl, and the University of South Alabama Jaguars.  The stadium's first game was a meeting between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Vanderbilt Commodores on October 2, 1948 which ended in a 14–14 tie.

From 1948 to 1968, with the exceptions of 1960 and 1962, the Crimson Tide played one game per year in Ladd Stadium. In 1958, legendary head coach Paul Bear Bryant coached his first game as Alabama's head coach in Ladd Stadium when the Crimson Tide fell 13–3 to LSU.

Legion Field {1927-2003}

Also known as The Gray Lady and The Football Capital of the South.  The stadium is named in honor of the American Legion, a U.S. organization of military veterans and opened in 1927. Since the 2004 removal of the upper deck, Legion Field seats approximately 71,594 spectators. At its peak it seated 83,091 people for football and had the name Football Capital of the South emblazoned from the facade on its upper deck.

In the stadium's first event, 16,800 fans watched Howard College (now known as Samford University) shutout Birmingham-Southern College 9–0 on November 19, 1927.  Well into the 1980s, Alabama played most of its important games, as well as the Iron Bowl, at Legion Field—to the point that most of Alabama's home football history from the 1920s to the 1980s took place in Birmingham.  At its height, it seated 20,000 more people than the Tide's on-campus stadium, Bryant–Denny Stadium. Additionally, Birmingham was more accessible than Tuscaloosa for much of the 20th century—even though Tuscaloosa is only 45 minutes west of Birmingham. The Crimson Tide hosted Tennessee in odd-numbered years in Birmingham until 1998, and hosted LSU in even-numbered years from 1964 through 1986, except for 1980.  Until 1998, Alabama played at least three games at Legion Field every season.  The last home game for Alabama at Legion Field was against the University of South Florida on August 30, 2003.

Bryant-Denny Stadium {1929-Present}

Opened 91 years ago in 1929, it was originally named Denny Stadium in honor of George H. Denny, the school's president from 1912 to 1932. In 1975, the state legislature added longtime head coach and alumnus Paul Bear Bryant to the stadium's name. Bryant led the Tide for seven more seasons, through 1982, and is one of the few in Division I to have coached in a venue bearing his name.  With a seating capacity of 101,821, it is the fourth-largest stadium in the Southeastern Conference, the seventh largest stadium in the United States and the eighth largest stadium in the world.  Bear Bryant is the leader in wins at the stadium, with a record of 72–2 (.973) in his quarter century as Tide head coach.

History - Bryant–Denny Stadium has hosted many memorable games, such as the 1994 shootout between Alabama's Jay Barker and Georgia's Eric Zeier, Marvin Constant's goal-line stop against LSU quarterback Josh Booty as time expired in 1999, Tyrone Prothro's reception over the back of Southern Miss defensive back Jasper Faulk in 2005, a 31–3 victory over #5 Florida in 2005, the Roman Harper-forced fumble against Tennessee in 2005 that helped the Crimson Tide to victory, Alabama's 36–0 shutout victory against Auburn in 2008 thus breaking the six-game losing streak and first ever Iron Bowl victory in Bryant–Denny Stadium, and Terrence Cody's field goal block against Tennessee as time expired in 2009. In recent years, Bryant–Denny Stadium had become a feared place to play again. Also, Bryant-Denny has been put on many lists ranking it one of the best places to watch football. NCAA Football 11 ranked Alabama's Bryant–Denny as the fourth toughest place to play in the nation

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Rivalries

Auburn {The Iron Bowl}

The main rivalry of the Crimson Tide is against its in-state rival, Auburn University; considered one of the top sporting rivalries in the US. The Alabama-Auburn game has come to be known as the Iron Bowl. The outcome of the game generally determines bragging rights in the state of Alabama until the following contest. The game may also have implications as to which team will represent the SEC Western Division in the SEC Championship Game.

On February 22, 1893, at Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Auburn was victorious in the first ever Iron Bowl, 32–22. The series was suspended after the 1907 contest, due to violence and financial complications. In 1944, Auburn suggested reopening the series, though the Board of Trustees at Alabama rejected it. The series was resumed in 1948, with Alabama crushing the Tigers 55–0, which is still the largest margin of victory in the series. In the following contest, Auburn shocked Alabama with a 14–13 victory, which is credited with helping revive the series.

For many years, the contest was held at Legion Field in Birmingham, before the teams began alternating between Bryant-Denny Stadium, in Tuscaloosa, and Jordan–Hare Stadium, in Auburn.

Tennessee {Third Saturday in October}

Despite the heated in-state rivalry with Auburn, Bear Bryant was more adamant about defeating his rivals to the north, the Tennessee Volunteers. The series is named the Third Saturday in October, the traditional calendar date on which the game was played. Despite the name, the game has been played on the third Saturday only five times between 1995–2007. The first game between the two sides was played in 1901 in Birmingham, ending in a 6–6 tie. From 1902 to 1913, Alabama dominated the series, losing only once, and never allowing a touchdown by the Volunteers. Beginning in 1928, the rivalry was first played on its traditional date and began to